Tribute: Madhvi Narain

By Cookie & Smita

The only constant is change and this, while sometimes painful, is an ongoing process. We all enter the stage crying, as do all healthy babies at birth; living our lives in an uplifting way that hopefully, when the final curtain drops, we move on to bigger and better things. What we do during our time on this temporary stage matters only in this realm, our long-term objective being, consciously or unconsciously, to progress onwards to higher echelons of our path to self-realisation. In the aftermath of Madhvi’s sudden exit on Saturday 14 August 2021, although we are reeling in shock and grief, we are at the same time thankful that she is, at least now, finally free from suffering. She has progressed to a new form, continuing the unknown journey.

This is not to underestimate how much we miss her physical presence, for she was like a little sister to us. In her short but fully realised lifespan, this beautiful spunky gal was a sterling example of what a dutiful daughter, a loving sister, a doting auntie and a true friend can be. She was devoted to her parents and family, relatives and friends, and her generosity was legendary. She dedicated many years of her life caring for her dad selflessly. However, her dedication did not stop there. She was very committed to the cause of Parkinson’s disease and helped many with her initiatives and advice. She was instrumental in setting up a support group for carers for patients with Parkinson’s Disease in Mauritius, which remains very active on Facebook. She participated fully in voluntary activities and loved treating orphans for Xmas and New Year.

Her generosity was not only confined to humans. She was a passionate advocate of animal rights and could not bear the suffering of innocent creatures. She did not just have ideals; she practised what she preached. Once she contributed substantially to the treatment of a terminally ill dog although there was no hope of a cure. When we asked her why, she said that every being deserved a chance of life, and there was always hope. When she found a cause, she would fight for it, even if it meant being at loggerheads with others. Whether it meant adopting more puppies than her disapproving elder sis thought she could handle, challenging her lecturers on concepts others in class had already accepted, or dropping out of a “plan” with friends because it clashed with her sacrosanct weekend naptime, Madhvi stuck to her guns. She was made up of stern stuff inherited from her high-achieving parents, Rani and Nund Narain.

She was a brilliant student at the Queen Elizabeth College where many remember her fondly. She was certainly very popular as her friends testify and she maintained her friendships with great loyalty throughout her life. In her workplace at successively De Chazal Du Mee, MulticonsultLtd, CIM Global Business and HBS Trust Services (Mtius) Ltd, she was a consummate professional endowed with a sharp intellect and strong work ethic. The most admirable of her many qualities, transcending all her actions, was certainly her dogged determination. She never gave up; there was always hope. Even in the midst of a cruel illness, Madhvi persevered without complaining about the unfairness of fate. Her courage shone through her suffering and those who knew her marvelled at her positive attitude. Even in the last stretch of her time with us, she fought with all her might.

To our distress, she has left us. What remains to be said in such times? There was certainly a lot more that she had planned to do, and lots more that we were waiting to do with her. We never had that planned lunch, the mini spinach lasagna nor the pizza with mushroom, corn and peppers. We did not have the picnic in Creve Coeur nor the joint visit to the spa. But what we had is priceless, precious memories of times spent together.

Death is not the end. It is only part of a bigger scheme that we don’t know about. Her skills are required elsewhere, and the remaining cast are now meant to carry on and do our own best, as the show goes on.

To our dearest friend Aruna, to Nandita, Rajesh, Ravi and kids, as well as the rest of Madhvi’s cherished family and friends, our deepest condolences on this loss. It is always harder for those left behind, but we are sure that our dearest M, the free spirit, is soaring on to a better, higher realm.

Chin Up!

 


* Published in print edition on 20 August 2021

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